Valve



Jan. 26 1926. 1,571,176

F. VI E c. HuTcHlNsoN VALVE Filed July 25, 1923 Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

FRANK LQE CLAIR HUTCI-IINSON, OF W'AUXVATOSA, 'V/'SCONSL ASSGNR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO MILWAUKEE VAVE CIVIPANY, OF MIL'YAKEE, VVSCONSN, A

VALVE.

Application led July 25, 1923. Serial No. 653,694;

To all fio/wm t may concer/f1:

Re it known that I, FRANK Lr: CLAIR HUToiiINsoN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVauwatosa, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valves, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the-accompanying drawings, which are a part of this speeiiication.

This invention relates to valves, and Vparticularly to a valve adapted to be connected to the return pipe in a low pressure vapor or steam heating system.

In heating systems employed .in private dwellings where steam under low pressure is employed, it is the presentpractice to'control the admission of steam to the radiator and to provide an outlet pipe to return the water of condensation back tothe boiler. In order to makethe system conduciveof the best results and toprovide for its maximum efliciency, it is necessary toprevent the passage of any of the live steamback through the return pipe with the water of condensation. 1n systems of this character it is. also necessary, and is thefpresent practice, to provide means of permitting the escape of air which may be trapped ein the radiator, so that this air will not act toprevent the entrance of steam into the radiator.

This invention therefore -relates to a valve adapted to he connected to the i-eturnpipe, and designed to permit the passage of'water theretln'ough, and also the escape of any trapped air, at the same time preventing the escape of live steam.

The invention furthermore consists in the novel construction, combination and larrangement of parts, all of which willbe made more apparent hereinafter as this description proceeds, especially when yconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional-view, through a valve constructed inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the valve parts removed from the casing;

Fig. -3 is a fragmentary detail elevational view, taken on the plane indicated by the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. t is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view `of the thermostatically controlled valve; and,

lig. 5 is a detail elevational view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 41..

Referring now more particularly to the drawings it will be noted that the valve consists of a easing 10, ;,provided with an inlet opening 11 and an outlet opening 12. The casing is formed immediately adjacent the inlet opening 11 with a sediment chamber 13 provided with a cleaning' opening closed by a plug 141. Communication between the sediment chamber 13 and the float chamber 15 of the valve device is provided by way of an opening 16, ,formed in the division wall of the valve casing. The upper side of the casing 10 is open and closed bya removable cap 17,`preferably.threaded therein.

Arranged adjacent the outlet opening 12 is a bushing 18, having formed .thereon a valve seat, adapted to receive a valve 19 carried by a hollow tubular valve stem 20. r1"he valve 19 and valve stem 20* are mounted for reciprocal movementin a, guide member 21, supported upon a pair of projections 22, extending inwardly from therasing 10. The guide member 21 is perforated centrally thereof for the reception ofthe valve stein 20.

The guide member :Z1-isformedwith a. downwardly extending arm Q3, which is pivotally-connected as atQ- to an arm 25, connected to a hollow float 26. Fixed to the valvesteni 2O is acollar 27, provided with .laterally vextending tru-unions 28, which engage slots 29, `formed in the float arms 25. Obviously, therefore, las the float israised, the valve stem 20 and the valve 19 will consequently be moved upwardly. The compound leverage provided by the arrangement just described, obviously renders the operation ofthe falve positive'under yall conditions.

Fixed to the upper end of the tubular valve stem 20 is a collar 80, having fixed thereto a `loi-metal thermostat 31, .formed preferably of an outerstrip of hrassor copper and an inner strip of steel or other similar metal, having a different co-efieient of expansion. A valve, carri-ed hyithe end of the thermostat 31 is adapted in its closed position to engage the open end yof the valve stem 20, thus closing communication through this hollow valve stein between the chamber 15 and the outlet 12.

ln operation the valve 19 will normally remain in closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 17 while the thermostatic valve 32 remains in open position. Consequently, any air flowing into the chamber 15, through the inlet opening 11, is 'tree to pass from the chamber 15 through the tubular vvalve stein 2O and downwardly `through the outlet opening 12. However, immediately upon the entrance of any steam within the chainber 15, the heat thereof will cause an unequal expansion ot the bi-metal parts ot the thermostat, and thus eiieet a closing` ot the valve 32, so that this live steam will be conlincd within the radiator,

The water of condensation which iiows into the chamber 15 will gradually accumulate until it reaches a height suiiicient to actnate the float 26,'which, as it rises, will move the valve stem 20 and valve 19 upwardly, thus permitting an escape of this water through the outlet opening 12. is the level ot the water decreases, the float will again close and move the valve 19 to its closed position, until the accumulation ot a further quantity ot the water in the chamber 15.

Obviously, as the water ot condensation passes into the chamber 15, any foreign matter contained therein will precipitate into the sediment chamber 13, which can periodically be cleaned out by removing the plug 111. Access to the interior ot the. valve may be conveniently had by removing the cover 17, and should it become necessary to replace the portion of the operating parts illustrated separately in Fig. 2, this may be accomplished by detaching the guide plate 21 from the projections 22, whereupon all ot these parts may be removed as a unit trom the interior ot the valve. This laeilitates, to a considerable degree, the repairing or replacing of parts.

l'Vhile one specilic embodiment of the in- `v'ention has been described in some detail, it is not intended that the invention be unnecessarily limited, but reservation is made to malte such changes as may come within the purview oit the accompanyingclaims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a valve ot the class described a casing forming a chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings, a. float, a valve provided with a stem for controlling said out let opening, means connecting said Hoa-t to said stem the stem of said valve having a passage providing communication beween said chamber and outlet opening and thermostatie means for closing said passage.

2. 'ln a valve of the class described a valve casing forming a float chamber providerL with inlet and outlet openings, a float actuated valve or controlling said outlet opening, said valve being formed with a hollow stem providing a passage between said chamber and outlet opening and a thermostatically actuated valve mounted on the end ot said stem tor controlling said passage.

3. ln a valve ot the class described a casing termed with communicating float and sediment chan'ibers and provided with inlet and outlet openings communicating resp ct-ively with said sediment und float chambers, z valve provided with a tubular stein 'tor coiitrolling said outlet opening, a float in said oat chan'iber operatively connected to said valve, said tubular stem proiiding an auxiliary passage connecting said iioat chamber to said outlet opening and a thermostatically controlled valve mounted on said valve stem tor controlling said aux iliary passage.

4. in a valve ot the class described, a casing forming a chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings, a float, eonii'irising a closed hollow body, mounted in the chainber, a valve for closing the outlet opening', means for operatively connecting this valve to the tioat, a tubular stem 'termed with the outlet valve, to provide an anfiliary passage connecting the chamber with the outlet opening, and means for closing the said auxiliary passage.

5. In a valve of the class described a casing :tormed with communicating float and sediment chambers, and provided with inlet and outlet openings, communicating respectively with said sediment and float chainbers, a. valve provided with a tubular stem itor controlling said outlet opening, a hoilow closed lioat in said float chaniber, operatively connected to said valve, said tubular stem providing an auxiliary passage conneeting said tioat chamber to said outlet opening, and a thermostatieally controlled valve mounted on said valve stem 'tor controlling said auxiliary passage.

6. In a valve ot the class described a casing forming a chamber provided with inlet and outlet openings, a hollow closed float in the chamber, a valve provided with a tubular stem for controllingl said outlet opening, alever arm pivotally carried b v said chamber easing and rigidly secured to the float, operatively connected to the tubular stem ot the said valve for controlling the same, and thermostatic means tor controlling the passage formed by the tubular stem ot the outlet valve.

In testimony whereof, I atiiz; my signature.

FRANK LE CLAIR HUTCHINSON.

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